Wrench



Nov., 1 6, i926.

E. MCKERSON WRENCH Filed Nov. 16. 1925 Patented Nov. 16, 1926.

ELMER NICKEL-z.

W'RENCH.

Application filed November This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in wrenches, and particularly to sliding jaw wrenches.

One object of the invention is to provide a wrench wherein the movablejaw has slidable and pivotal movement to more prop erly and firmly gripthe work, and wherein such movable jaw is normally and resiliently heldaway from the shank of the wrench,

l whereby to quickly and easily release itsel'iu from the work, toobtain a new grip on such work.

Another object is to provide a moving means for the slidable jaw whichis actuated by hand, against a spring means which also serves to urgethe jaw toward normal position.

Another object is to provide, in addition to the manually actuatedspring held means, a spring means for normally urging the jaw memberaway from the shank of the wrench, and in counteraction against thefirst spring means.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wrench made in accordance with thepresent invention.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 34 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Referring particularly 'to the accompanying drawing, represents theshank oi' the wrench which has the series oi' ratchet teeth 11 formed inits back edge. In the other edge of the shank there is formed alongitudinal groove 12, which extends from the rigid jaw 13, at theouter end o'l the shank, to a point adjacent the handle portion 10, ofthe shank. Disposed within this groove is the thinner portion 14 of themovable jaw member 14, the .thicker portion of which is limited in itsmovement in one direction by contact with the adjacent edge face oi: theshank. In the outer face of the jaw inember 14 there is formed alongitudinal groove 15 in which is seated an end portion of a leafspring 16, to which reference will be 16, 1925. Serial No. 69.421.

made later herein. Fixed in a notch 17, in the thinner portion of thejaw member 14 is one end of a leaf spring 18, the other or free end ofwhich bears against the bottom oi the groove 12, of the shank, wherebyto normally and yieldably urge the jaw niember away from the shank.

Siidably embracing the shank 10 is 'a block 19, and formedlongitudinally in the shank, beneath the block, is a slot 20. Disposedthrough the block, the slot, and the thinner portion of the jaw member,is a pivot member 21, on which said block and jaw member are adapted toswing.

W hen the jaws are engaged with a piece of work, and the wrenchmanipulated in the proper manner, Athe jaw member 14 will swing inwardlytoward the shank 1t), so that the leal' spring 18 will be compressed.Upon manipulating the wrench to obtain a new grip on the work, thespring 18 will move the jaw member outwardly, thus permitting release ofthe wrench from the work, il desired.

The tendency of the leaf spring 16, whose other end is secured to therockable block 19, is to rock the block and cause its teeth 22 to engagewith the teeth 11 of the shank 10, whereby said block is held againstmovement away from the rigid jaw. This spring also has a tendency toswing the jaw member 14 inwardly toward the shank, but such action iscounteracted or counterbalanced by the spring 18.

The back portion of the block, or that portion which rides over theteeth 11, is provided with a rearwardly extending handle member orfingerpiece 23, which is arranged to be depressed by the thumb or fingerof the operator, to rock the block 19 so as to disengage its teeth 22from the teeth 11, and thereby permit the free sliding of the blocklongitudinally of the shank. The jaw member 14 being connected with theblock 19 by means of the pivot 21, moves long gitudinally of the shank,with the block, l

whereby to position the jaw member at the propel' distance from 'therigid jaw to accommodate the work therebetween.

It will be noted that the pivotal end of the jaw member 14 is formedwith a projecting heel 24 which is arranged to engage with the bottomwall of the groove 12 of the block 19, whereby to prevent too great CilCAB

outward swinging movement of said jaiv, Which might tend to break orexcessively bend the spring 16.

What is claimed is:

l. A Wrench including a toothed shank having an outer rigid jaw, aninner jaw slidably and pivotally supported Within the shank, a rockablemember straddling the shank and being pivoted coincident with the innerjaw for slidable movement therewith but independent pivotal movement,said rockable member being arranged to interlock with the toothed shank,a spring means carried by the rockable member and engaging With theinner jaw 15er yieldably holdingl the roekable member engaged with theshank, and a spring means between the inner jaw and the interior ot theshank for normally rocking said inner jaiv out of the shank.

Q. A Wrench including a shank having teeth and an outer rigid jaw, aninner jaw slidably seated in said shank, the shank having a longitudinalslot, a block straddling the shank and inner jaw, a pivot disposedthrough said slot to permit simultaneous sliding ot the and block andindependent pivotal movement thereof, there being teeth on the block'for engagement With the teeth ot the shank, a spring carried by theblock and engaging` With the inner jaw tor normally urging the teeth ofthe block into engagement with the teeth o the shank, and a springcarried by the inner jaw and engaged With the shank for rocking` thesaid inner jaw on its pivot away from the shank.

3. A Wrench including a shank having teeth on one ot its edge faces anda groove longitudinally in its other edge tace, a jaw member having ashank portion slidably seated in said groove, said shank having alongitudinai slot, a block embracing the shank, a pivot disposed throughthe said slot and connected to the shank ot said jaw member, there beingteeth on the said block engaged With the shank teeth, a leaf springsecured at one end to the block and having its tree end engaged with thejaw member, and a spring carried by the said jaiv member and engagedWith the shank of the Wrench in said groove for urging the jaw memberoutwardly away from the said shank.

Il. A Wrench including a shank having teeth on one of its edge faces anda longitudinal slot, a jaw member slidably mounted on the shank7 aslidable block embracing the shank and a portion ot the jan' member, apivot disposed transversely through the slot, through the block, andthrough the jaw member, whereby to permit simultaneous sliding movementof the jaw and block and independent pivotal movement thereo`f,therebeing teeth on the said block engaged With the shank teeth, a springsecured at one end to the block and having its tree end engaged wwiththe jaw member, and a spring secured at one end to the jaiv member andhaving its tree end engaged with the shank.

ln testimony whereof, I atix my signature.

ELMER NICKERSON.

